Canister unit with latching means



Jan. 22, 1963 J. A. DONLEVY CANISTER UNIT WITH LATCHING MEANS Filed Sept. 19, 1961 1 2 Sheetg-Sheet 1 4 INVENTOR. JAMES A. DONL VY BY M...

I q ogl xl ATTORNEY Jan. 22, 1963 J. A. DONLEVY 3,

CANISTER UNIT WITH LATCHING MEANS Filed Sept. 19, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. qAm-zs A. DONLEVY 0&2? ATTORNEYS United States Patent ()filice ihlhlhii Patented Jan. 22, 'ififi 3,tl7 ,165 CAL lfiTER UP-till WE; LA'JIQHENG MEANS James A. Donlevy, Burlington, FLQ, assignor, by means assignments, to the United tltates of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force Filed Sept. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 139,316 4 (Ilaims. (Cl. 339-91) ments which for the purposes of this application include electrical components, electromechanical components and printed circuits.

In order to assure firm mechanical and electrical reliability of canistered electrical element used in severe applications, it is customary to latch the canisters in place.

Latching devices used in the past to maintain firm mechanical and electrical connection have been of complex design and have not been completely satisfactory for the severe conditions encountered on space vehicles. Such latching devices have greatly added to the overall physical size of the canisters to which attached, thereby increasing the minimum spacing between adjacent canisters with a resulting increase in the overall physical size and weight of the electrical apparatus to which attached.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simple fail-resistant latch which will not increase the minimum spacing between adjacent canisters and which will withstand the environment encountered in space flight.

Another obiect of this invention is to incorporate a handle on each canister for its removal and for operation of the latching device.

More objects of novelty and utility will be apparent from the following description and drawings in which like parts are designated by like numerals:

FIG. 1 is a perspective elevation of the canister with operating handle in the home position;

FIG. 2 is a sectional side elevation along line 22 of FIG. 1 with the operating handle in the home position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional side elevation on the same plane as FIG. 2 showing the canister mounted and latched to the electrical apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a perspective of the guide can, partially broken to show installation of a latch spring;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective sectional elevation showing relationship of parts and with a latch spring unlatched;

PEG. 6 is a partial perspective elevation of another embodiment of the invention showing the handle lock spring in the locked position;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective elevation along line 7-7 of FIG. 6 partially broken to show the operation of the lock spring;

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective of operating handle end showing construction details;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective elevation of a canister showing T-slot and lock spring detents;

FIG. 10 is a partial side elevation showing the canister in the latched position and the lock spring in the release position; and

FIG. 11 is a partial perspective of a guide can showing the lock spring relief and hole for nesting the latch spring.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with a housing or canister 10 designed to encapsulate one or more electrical elements such as relays or printed circuits which elements are then mechanically and electrically connected into an electrical system by means of terminal pins 12 which engage suitable sockets 14 in a mounting pad 16 which is located within guide can 1% as shown in FIG. 4. The electrical elements encapsulated within housing It the manner of connecting the electrical elements into the electrical system and the manner of guiding housing ill by means of the guide can 18 are all well known to the art and form no part of this invention. Mounting pad is and guide can 18 which is shaped in the form of an open box are mounted to panel member 2b of an electrical apparatus by any suitable means known to the art and forms no part of this invention.

Opposing side walls of canister 1% have T slots 22 as shown in FIG. 5 which are milled or otherwise formed along the longitudinal center lines and which slideably guide and restrain operating handle 2% in a manner to be hereinafter described.

Operating handle 24 is formed to substantially the shape depicted to provide a U-shaped structure with opposing side members 26 which are parallel and slideably operate in T slots 22 of canister 1h. The operating handle 24 is preferably formed from fiat spring stock such as stainless steel or Phosphor bronze in order to maintain structural rigidity in operation.

Both edges of each side member 26 of operating handle 24 have a relief 28 which limits the movement of the operating handle by engagement with pin 3a which is staked or otherwise joined to canister 10. Each side member 26 terminates in spear shaped ends 32 with cam surfaces 32a which engage and operate latch spring 34 in a manner to be hereinafter described.

FIG. 4 depicts only one latch spring 34', the spring on the opposite end within guide can 18 having been omitted for clarity. Latch spring 34 is formed to substantially the shape depicted and is in its free position. he bottom of guide can 18 has a hole as for each spring, the hole being of such size and shape as to provide a nest for the bent loop portion of the latch spring. The upright portion 38 of the latch spring is disposed between the end of mounting pad 16 and the inside of guide can 18 and in such lateral relationship as to permit entry into T slot 22 of canister It? when the canister is introduced into the guide can. The bent loop portion of latch spring 34 is retained in hole 35 of guide can 13 by means of the mounting pad 16. It is thus seen that after the guide can 18 and mounting pad is are mounted to panel member Ztl of an apparatus, the latch spring 34- is firmly located and retained in its nesting hole 36.

PEG. 3 depicts the canister id in its home position and latched in place, the spear shaped end 32 of operating handle 24 having spread the upright portions 33 of latch spring 3%, thereby forcing latch spring ends 34a into mating holes as in canister it is thus seen that canister it: will remain firmly joined to the apparatus, being retained in place by the latch spring ends B ia engaging holes as in canister it In operation, the canister may be disconnected from the apparatus by lifting up on operating handle which will disengage the spear shaped end 32 from latch spring as to permit latch spring ends to disengage from holes es in canister it Furthere lifting of the operating handle after edge 2% of relief engages pin Eli will pull the canister from guide can 18.

The canister may be connected to the apparatus and latched in place by guiding the canister into the guide can 18 while the operating handle is in its extended position and then pushing the operating handle home until edge 23a of relief 28 engages pin 39, thereby spreading latch spring 34 and forcing latch spring ends 34a into holes 40 in canister 16.

FIG. 6 through FIG. 11 depicts the addition of an operating handle lock spring to the preferred embodiment of the invention. This lock spring permits ,driving the canister to its home position by applying force only to the handle 64. Canister 60 is identical, with previously described canister except for the addition of detents 62 cut into the side of T slots 22 as shown in FIG. 9. Operating handle 64 is identical with previously described handle 24 except for the addition of rectangular holes 66 as shown in FIG. 8. Guide can 68- is identical with previously described guide can 18 except for the addition of relief 70' as shownin FIG. 11. Re.- lief 7t is of a width not to exceed the width of the leg of the T slot 22in canister 6% andat its outer extremity terminates in beveled edges 7hr; and "1012 which act as cam surfaces for disengaging lock spring 72 from deten-ts 62 when installing and latching the canister in its home post tion.

Handle lock spring 72 is formed to substantially the shape depicted in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 and is formed from spring wire of a diameter not to exceed the metal thickness of operating handle 64. The loop portion of lock spring 72 is of such size and form as to nest Within hole 66 in operating handle 64. The free ends of spring 72 are at substantially 90 to the loop portion of the spring and are slightly longer than the thicknessof web 224: of T slot 22 and biased to spring into detents .62 of the T slot.

it is thus seen that when operating handle 64 is in its extended position and lock spring 72 is in engagement with detents 62, the operating handle cannotbe moved independently from canisterdt). r

The operatinghandle 64 is held in its extended position by the engagement of lock spring '72with detents 62 in canister 65. When the canister isinserted into guidecan 68, the lock spring will be released by the cam action of the beveled edges 70a and 701) on the guide can. The lock spring is now ineffective and will remainso until the handle .is pulled upward with intent to remove .the canister from the guide can, At this time the :lock spring will reengage the detents in the canister andlock the handle in the up position. This locking feature facilitates installation of units which are closely spaced to each other. a

While the embodiments of this invention disclosed by the specification and drawings are in connection with electrical elements packaged into a housing or canister, it is obvious that the invention may be used with elements not packaged on mounted in this specific manner.

What is claimed is: 7.

1. A device for connecting and disconnecting canister enclosed electrical elementshaving multiple-pinconnectors to and from a mounting pad of' an electrical apparatus and latching same in place comprising in combination a metal housing member enclosing said electrical elements and having T slot channels in two opposing side walls which are substantially flat and parallel, a guide member for guiding said housing member onto said mounting pad, said guide member being open box shaped and spaceably encompassing said mounting pad, spring latching means disposed between said mounting pad and said guide member, said spring latching means having spreadable upright portions for entry into the T slots of said housing member, means in the form of a. U-shaped handle slideably operating with limited motion in the T slots of said housing member for connecting and disconnecting said housing member from said mounting pad, said handle terminating inmeans for actuating said latching means, said actuating means comprising spear shaped cams to spread said upright portions of said latching means to force ends of said latching means into corresponding holes in said housing member to latch said housing member after connecting to said mounting pad and to unlatch said spring latching means before discon, necting said housing member from said mounting pad.

2. A device for connecting and disconnecting canister enclosed electrical elements having multiple pin connectors to and from a mounting pad of an electrical apparatus and latching same in place comprising in combination a metal housing member enclosing said electrical elements and having 'i" slot channels in two opposing side walls which are substantially fiat and parallel, a guide member for guiding said housing member onto said mounting pad, said guide member being open box'shaped and spaceably encompassing said mounting pad, spring latching means disposed between said mounting pad and said guide member, said spring latching means having spreadable upright portions iorentry into the T slots of said housing memb er, means in the form of a U-shaped handle slideably operating with limited motion in T slots of said housing member for connecting and disconnect- ,ing said housing member from said mounting-pad, said handle terminating in means'for actuating said latching means, said actuating means comprising spear shaped cams to spread said upright portions or said latching means to force ends of said latching means into correspondin g'holes in said housing member to latch said housing member after connecting to said mounting pad and to unlatch said spring latching means before disconnecting said housing member from said mounting pad, and means for locking and unlocking said handle to said housing member when said handle is in the extended position.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 in which said means for locking and unlocking said handle consists of a spring.

4. Acdevice in accordance with claim 2 in which said means for locking and unlocking said handle consists of a spring for locking and unlocking said handle to and from said housing member, said spring nesting within a side member of and traveling with said handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,091,449 Westin d. Mar. 24, 1914 1,647,781 Carr Nov. 1, 1927 2,760,174 Burtt et al. Aug. 21, 1956 2,853,690 Madison Sept. 23, 1958 FOREEGN PATENTS 1,045,762 France July 1, 1953 713,908 Germany Nov. 18, 1941 

1. A DEVICE FOR CONNECTING AND DISCONNECTING CANISTER ENCLOSED ELECTRICAL ELEMENTS HAVING MULTIPLE PIN CONNECTORS TO AND FROM A MOUNTING PAD OF AN ELECTRICAL APPARATUS AND LATCHING SAME IN PLACE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A METAL HOUSING MEMBER ENCLOSING SAID ELECTRICAL ELEMENTS AND HAVING T SLOT CHANNELS IN TWO OPPOSING SIDE WALLS WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT AND PARALLEL, A GUIDE MEMBER FOR GUIDING SAID HOUSING MEMBER ONTO SAID MOUNTING PAD, SAID GUIDE MEMBER BEING OPEN BOX SHAPED AND SPACEABLY ENCOMPASSING SAID MOUNTING PAD, SPRING LATCHING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID MOUNTING PAD AND SAID GUIDE MEMBER, SAID SPRING LATCHING MEANS HAVING SPREADABLE UPRIGHT PORTIONS FOR ENTRY INTO THE T SLOTS OF SAID HOUSING MEMBER, MEANS IN THE FORM OF A U-SHAPED HANDLE SLIDEABLY OPERATING WITH LIMITED MOTION IN THE T SLOTS OF SAID HOUSING MEMBER FOR CONNECTING AND DISCONNECTING SAID HOUSING MEMBER FROM SAID MOUNTING PAD, SAID HANDLE TERMINATING IN MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID LATCHING MEANS, SAID ACTUATING MEANS COMPRISING SPEAR SHAPED CAMS TO SPREAD SAID UPRIGHT PORTIONS OF SAID LATCHING MEANS TO FORCE ENDS OF SAID LATCHING MEANS INTO CORRESPONDING HOLES IN SAID HOUSING MEMBER TO LATCH SAID HOUSING MEMBER AFTER CONNECTING TO SAID MOUNTING PAD AND TO UNLATCH SAID SPRING LATCHING MEANS BEFORE DISCONNECTING SAID HOUSING MEMBER FROM SAID MOUNTING PAD. 